The Breitling Watch Source Forums

I thought any ISO certified watches were stamped on the bottom plate?

Congrats, Roff

I came here, not long ago, because of my interest in Breitlings. I have stayed for different reasons. I still like a number of Bretiling watches but the community which you and the other moderators here have fostered is something I enjoy. Also, and I give you highest tribute for this, there is open and unvarnished (though usually civil) discussion on all watches, not just Breitling. This place has raised my watch IQ exponentially on Breitling and all the other brands. There is no inhibition of speaking well or ill of Bretiling offerings, past, present and future. With the ever rising prices, the used market becomes that much more significant and with it, the knowledge you have will prove more vital.

We probably don't stop often enough to make the acknowledgement, but thank you.

_________________
Scott

AP Royal Oak 15400, silver
Zenith Chronomaster El Primero Classic Cars
Vintage gold Corum
Rolex DJ 36 TT, oyster dial, oyster/smooth
Baume & Mercier Riviera 200m, silver dial/aquamarine bezel
Breitling Superocean 57, rose/stainless

So now that I have access to a proper keyboard, time to add my .02...

I'm sure alot of us if not all are on the same boat. Our passion for Breitlings have brought us here to this wonderful forum. It is that common thread that we all share this camaderie.

I first started off with vintage Breitlings. I still think they are some of the most well designed pieces on the face of this planet. This passion for vintage sparked an interest for contemporary pieces and I found myself shifting my collection towards a more modern approach.

But what happened? Breitling started phasing out all of the models that I liked. This company has lost its fundamentals. It has neglected its core customer. One thing I learned in business is when a company starts to do this approach, it's got some problems. Somewhere along the chain of command something has gone awry. I own a sandwich franchise. It would be comparable for me to start selling Chinese food.

Breitling needs to start believing in themselves again. Now this is where I might disagree a bit with Roff about the haute horologie route. Sure retrogrades and tourbillons are cool, but it's not Breitling. We all know the controversial ad that Breitling put out awhile back with the "best chronograph in the world" claim. Yes it's caused a lot of buzz but while on my way to work after reading Roff's post, I was thinking in the car... maybe Breitling's claim was not to take this as a "technical" claim but to boost the company and its image for its deep roots in aviation. Aviation and chronographs are like ham and cheese. Ike and Tina. Starsky and Hutch. I certainly will concede that if that was the case where it was to boast its technical merits, it was a poor approach and the ad firm that did this for them didn't convey the message too well for Schneider and the gang.

One specific example is how Rolex portrays their bread and butter Submariner. When you take a look at their ads, they don't have people diving with these watches. Sure you got the water motif with fish swimming around a watch but they ultimately portray the watch on the wrists of guys dressed to the nines. But at the same time they boast plenty about the technical and historical merits of the Submariner.

Now, how come everytime I open a chronolog I see wrist pics with Nomex gloves with a Chronospace? How many people do you know actually fly a jet? IMO their image doesn't resonate too well with the common man. Just look at the 1969 chronlog scans and one can see what I'm talking about. You've got dudes macking on chicks in there. Sure it could be a 60's-70's thing but I don't think it's really that hard to portray a superb watch such as the Navitimer for a watch that can be worn in the boardroom instead of the cockpit for today's modern times.

By doing this, who knows... could free up some of the other models, slim down the product line a bit, and they won't need such separate designs as the Galactic series. Put more of the resources into R&D, crack down on the gray market, slim down the spectacular show work (ie. flight team, jet man, etc.) and go back to the drawing board.

I'm kind of writing this on the fly so some of it could be the case of the Mondays as I'm itching to leave for the day but that's all I have to say. Just had to get this thought off my chest.

I'm gonna go play some golf now.

_________________
"I don't got the bright watch I got the right watch" -Jay Z

Thanks for your well thought out post Roff, you are an anchor here!

Congrats on your post count Roff.
Breitling was my introduction to high end watches (almost went down the Omega route,but my best mate made me see sense).
Although Breitling models of 2012 are not my first choice,the brand will always remain favourable to me.

Great post, Roff. I agree with the vast majority of what you said. The one area where I differ is that I personally don't have much desire to see Breitling expanding in the area of haute horologerie, when all I really want is for them to resume making watches that were as great as the early 2000 Chronomats. There's nothing advanced about such products, but they were sure nice; I miss them, and would like to see them return, or something like them. More complications, etc., aren't something I crave. Perhaps, though, such innovation would be good for the overall health of the brand.


I think Breitling contracts with manufacturers to brand such products as promotional items. I don't think Breitling is trying to be a knife maker, or a maker of any other product besides watches. I agree that I'd rather have a discount than some silly promo item I have no need for, but I don't think the promo items are genuine attempts at brand diversification, and thus don't pose the threat you've suggested. Contrast that with a company like TAG Heuer, who seriously markets sunglasses and cell phones, in addition to watches.

---

Breitling has offered promo items for years, so I don't see how that alone is the "start" of any trend. As for the AD who offered the knife as a substitute for a discount, I suspect that was a choice made by that particular AD, and not something sanctioned or encouraged by Breitling. A lot of Breitling customers seem to like the perks of getting branded freebies (albeit, not in lieu of a discount), and others grumble when they don't get them. If everything else were going well (good designs, acceptable prices, solid brand direction, etc.), I don't think the promos would hurt, and they might actually help. More significantly, though, and where I mainly take exception to your point, is these items are for promotional purposes only - Breitling isn't selling them. In other words, it's not a form of brand diversification in the same way as with Gucci, TAG, Montblanc, etc., where you have companies that are trying to become seen as "makers" of other, marketable products beyond those that made them a notable brand in the first place. The feedback on this forum suggests that most people understand this, and appreciate the items for what they are. Honestly, your post is the first I've ever seen where somebody saw Breitling's freebies as a form of product diversification that was detrimental to the brand image.

Swag is good and Breitling, and their customers, have a long affinity for swag. The idea swag hurts a brand sounds to me like over-thinking. I hope they keep up the swag - the chocolates are great and the boxes they come in are perfect for strap, etc... storage. And all the other stuff I have recieved was top quality as well. Hell, even the pink boxer shorts were some "fancy-pants" French manufacturer. Ok, bad example.

_________________
SHARKMAN

The gifts clearly work, and I think that they are a nice way to connect with the customer, but let's remember that they aren't directly a Breitling thing. The biggest supplier of the swag is BUSA - a distributor, and as many UK buyers will tell you there is no corporate policy. Some of the choices (olive oil, boxers) may be odd choices, but they definitely exude quality, and that helps to enhance the brand - unlike the riveted carboard boxes!

---

Bakelite, as I discussed in my original post.

Bakelite, and very nice.

I agree, if Breitling actually started to market other kinds of products under its own name in the same fashion TAG has, that would not be a good thing. It would be one more (really big) reason for the old guard fans to moan and groan about the state of the brand. However, as it stands, that has not happened, and there is no indication that it will happen. The swag is just a way for certain distributors to thank those customers who have bought new watches from authorized dealers, and is generally appreciated as a nice gesture.

Well said Roff.

nevermind